How to grow passionfruit

Photo: Thinkstock.

Planning
Passionfruit are tendril climbers and quite vigorous growers, so before you choose a place to plant a new vine, you’ll need to make sure it’s got somewhere to climb. Whether you grow it along a wire fence, over a pergola or up a trellis, make sure it has plenty of room to move – it will grow up to 2.5m across and at least that tall if given the chance. The extensive root systems will also need space to develop, so make sure you choose a spot without too much root competition. Beware of disturbing the ground around a grafted passionfruit, it can cause the rootstock to sucker.

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Aspect
Passionfruit are essentially warm-climate plants. They like a sunny, well-protected area where they won’t be hit by frost. A north-facing position will give them enough sunlight to ensure you get not just plenty of lush, green foliage, but loads of that all-important fruit.

Care
Passionfruit vines will benefit from some good-quality organic fertiliser, such as blood and bone or chook manure, in early spring and again after they’ve finished fruiting. To minimise root disturbance, top dress under the vines and gently rake into the topsoil. After the cold weather has passed, it’s a good idea to give your passionfruit a trim to keep it under control, minimise disease and encourage new growth, from which you’ll get bags of juicy, sweet fruit. Aim to remove about a third of the previous year’s growth with your annual prune.

Types of passionfruit
There are more than 50 different types of passionfruit vine. Here are just a few...

• Black passionfruit ‘Nellie Kelly’ (Passiflora edulis) is one of the most popular varieties, and with good reason. It’s grafted onto hardy Passiflora caerulea rootstock, making it less susceptible to disease, pests and frost. Good for cooler climates.

• Sweet Lilikoi (Passiflora alata) produces orange-skinned fruit as well as spectacular pinky-red blooms. Benefits from cross-pollination.

• Sweet Granadilla (Passiflora ligularis) is regarded by some as the best-tasting passionfruit in the world. It’s easily recognised by its heart-shaped leaves and large, orange fruit that, when cut open, reveal fragrant white pulp.

Grafted vs ungrafted

• Grafted passionfruit are better able to survive in cooler climates than non-grafted

• Grafted varieties are not recommended in sandy or coarse soil, as the rootstock would be prone to suckering. If the top fruiting part of your passionfruit should die, remove the rootstock straight away.

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Why isn’t my vine producing any fruit?

• It’s not mature enough – It can take up to 18 months for a new vine to start producing fruit.

• It’s not getting enough sun.

• It’s hungry or thirsty – fertilise every spring and again after it’s finished fruiting. And water well during warm weather.